Towel-holding device



S. J. ROCHE.

TOWEL HOLDIING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR. Is, 1918.

Patented Dec. 30; 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN J. ROCHE, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

'rownnnonnme DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN J. Boone, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Towel-Holding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and highly eflicient towel holding device, belonging to that class of towel holders or towel racks in connection with which a multiplicity of towels are held or carried, so that the user'can individually withdraw or unloosen a towel and suspend the same for his own use.

As a rule, the user first washes his hands or face, then rinses the same, and then reaches for a towel; in the towel holders now in use he must reach up or make an eXtra eflort to pull the towel into a usable position and by so doing, the Water on the face runs down onto the neck and the water on his hands and wrists runs down his sleeves.

In the towel holder now used the towel must be taken from the top or front and it is inconvenient to handle then; in my device the towels are easily and readily accessible and are taken or pulled down off of the bottom of the pack and can thus be used conveniently and satisfactorily.

The towels can be readily placed in position by the towel deliverer and taken off conveniently and quickly.

The various features of my invention and their advantages will readily become apparent from the following specification.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification:

Figure 1, is a front View in elevation of the device,

Fig. 2, is a top or plan view, the towels being removed,

Fig. 3, is a view of the sleeve With towels strung thereon, partly broken away, and

Fig. 4, is a sectional view on the line 44of Fig. 1.

In the drawings the numeral 1 represents the back or base of the towel holder, which may be made of any contour or size and from any material. Near the middle part of this back 1, I place a platform or shelf 2 having a cut away part 3, in the present instance U shaped; the towels lie on and are supported on this shelf.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 16, 1918.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Serial No. 228,968.

Between the top edge of the back 1 and the outer front edge of the shelf 2 I connect a frame work formed of the strips 4 and 5. I may employ any form of frame work between the shelf 2 and the top of the back 1 and either leave it partly open or use a box shaped receptacle or hood to inclose the towels, leaving means at the bottom however, to reach the towels.

At the lower extremity of the back 1, I place a foot 6 provided with a hole 7. I

A flexible cable; wire, rope, chain, or the like, 8, and a rigid stem 9 joined together at their meeting edges, form the stringer or suspending means for the towels in connection with sleeve, to be hereafter described. The fiexible lower end 8, passes through hole 7 in the .foot piece 6 and its extremity is provided with a weight 10, used to keep the stringer in alinement and to keep it in position and for pulling out the stringer to remove the used towels.

At the end of the stem 9 of the stringer I provide a slot 12 and on the back 1, near its top edge I fasten an eye 13 and above this eye on the top edge bf the back 1 I place hinged hasp 1 1 provided with a slot 15, which slot passes over the eye 13 when the hasp is swung down, enabling the device to be locked by a lock 16.

The towels are temporarily strung upon a hollow sleeve 17 having near the top a flange 18; the towels 30 being strung there on through medium of holes or edges 19 in said towels. The distributer or deliverer of the towels strings them upon this sleeve and when they are delivered, the rigid part 9 of the stringer is unloosed from the eye and hasp at the top and the sleeve 17 slid over the part 9 and the towels are pushed down onto the shelf 2 lying across the U-shaped cut away part 3; the part 9 isthen again connected at the top to eye 13 by means of hasp l4; and locked.

When it is desired to use one of the towels 30, the lower one of the pack (shown partly hanging down at the cut away part 3) is pulled downward until it is freed from the shelf 2; it can then be used and when the user is finished, said used towel falls down to the foot piece 6 and hangs there as shown.

By releasing the rigid part 9, the sleeve with the unused towels can be slid ofl said part 9 and the stringer pulled out through hole 7 of foot piece 6 and removed and then the parts can again be placed back into normal position and a fresh supply of towels put in position for use, or the. towels may he slid up on the stringer and taken ofi at the top when it is loosened at its upper extremity.

The towel holder is held on the wall or any place desired by eyes 20.

By reason of the stringer being partly flexible and capable of play, the towel in the hands of the user can be manipulated and twisted and swung around, enabling the towel to be used to full advantage.

It will readily become apparent from the above description that I have evolved a unique, useful, highly efficient and sanitary towel holder which will answer the purpose for which it is intended.

Vhile I have described one specific method of carrying my invention into effect, it will readily be apparent that the same can be somewhat modified and changed without departing from the spirit of the invention and I wish to be understood as claiming that such modifications will still fall within thescope of my invention.

What I claim as new and my invention and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is:

In a towel holder of the character described, a base part, a shelf thereon, said shelf provided with a cut away part, a stringer carrying a weight at its lower extremity and attached atthetop. and bottom of said base part and extending between said points in combination with separate means for carrying the towels, capable of being placed on and off of said stringenthe stringer being removable and being partly rigid and partly flexible.

In testimony whereofIafiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN J ROCHE.

Witnesses;

H. E; CARsTENs, N; G. SCOTT. 

